6 NFL teams that are a franchise quarterback away from being contenders

5. Cleveland Browns

For the first time since the Browns returned to Cleveland, the team has had the same quarterback under center on a weekly basis. The team took Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and he looked to be the savior of the Browns after an impressive rookie season that saw him throw for 3,725 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.

The Browns received a lot of hype following Mayfield’s rookie season and what followed was a season of struggles for the former Heisman Trophy winner. He started all 16 games, which was one of the few positives for him, as he threw for just 102 more yards than he did as a rookie despite starting two extra games.

Cleveland didn’t get hyped up this past offseason and less noise has likely helped them get to a 5-3 record. Mayfield hasn’t necessarily been bad and has had some good games, especially against the Bengals in Week 7, but when looking at the Browns roster, he’s what’s holding the team back.

More often than not, Mayfield decides who he’s going to throw the ball to and doesn’t always scan the entire field. It’s doubtful the Browns give up on Mayfield after this season, especially if they make it into the extra Wild Card berth, but there’s no debating that he’s one of the team’s biggest weaknesses.